{"id":354,"date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=354"},"modified":"2026-01-07T17:31:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T22:31:41","slug":"courts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/courts\/","title":{"rendered":"Courts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fed\u00ader\u00adal courts have the author\u00adi\u00adty to hear cas\u00ades hav\u00ading to do with the Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion, fed\u00ader\u00adal laws and treaties. The courts also hear cas\u00ades where the U.S. is a par\u00adty. Two dif\u00adfer\u00adent arti\u00adcles in the Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion cre\u00adate fed\u00ader\u00adal judge\u00adships: Arti\u00adcle 1 and Arti\u00adcle 3. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arti\u00adcle 3 estab\u00adlish\u00ades most judge\u00adships, Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut polit\u00adi\u00adcal sci\u00adence pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Vir\u00adginia Het\u00adtinger said, includ\u00ading judges of fed\u00ader\u00adal dis\u00adtrict courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

University of Connecticut political science professor Virginia Hettinger in an interview with UConn journalism students on Sept. 16 2025. Hettinger is an expert on judicial independence. Photo by Elijah Polance.<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger-1024x681.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger-1024x681.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-633\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Hettinger.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut polit\u00adi\u00adcal sci\u00adence pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Vir\u00adginia Het\u00adtinger in an inter\u00adview with UConn jour\u00adnal\u00adism stu\u00addents on Sept. 16 2025. Het\u00adtinger is an expert on judi\u00adcial inde\u00adpen\u00addence. Pho\u00adto by Eli\u00adjah Polance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArti\u00adcle 3 judges: pres\u00adi\u00addent nom\u00adi\u00adnates, Sen\u00adate con\u00adfirms,\u201d Het\u00adtinger said. \u201cThe Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion says that their term shall be in good con\u00adduct, which has come to be inter\u00adpret\u00aded as life\u00adtime tenure.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arti\u00adcle 1 courts are cre\u00adat\u00aded by Con\u00adgress and oper\u00adate sep\u00ada\u00adrate\u00adly from the Arti\u00adcle 3 courts, Het\u00adtinger said. They are usu\u00adal\u00adly cre\u00adat\u00aded to deal with spe\u00adcif\u00adic issues. Exam\u00adples of these courts include the U.S. Court of Appeals for Vet\u00ader\u00adans Claims, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the U.S. Tax Court, accord\u00ading to the U.S. Courts web\u00adsite<\/a>. These jus\u00adtices don\u2019t have life\u00adtime tenure and instead usu\u00adal\u00adly serve four- or eight-year terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arti\u00adcle 3 also estab\u00adlished the juris\u00addic\u00adtion of the Supreme Court, which is its legal abil\u00adi\u00adty to hear a case.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orig\u00adi\u00adnal juris\u00addic\u00adtion means the case goes direct\u00adly to the Supreme Court. The court has orig\u00adi\u00adnal juris\u00addic\u00adtion over cas\u00ades involv\u00ading ambas\u00adsadors, cas\u00ades between the US and one of the states and cas\u00ades between a state and the cit\u00adi\u00adzens of anoth\u00ader state or nonci\u00adt\u00adi\u00adzens. These cas\u00ades are very lim\u00adit\u00aded in scope and rep\u00adre\u00adsent the fewest num\u00adber of Supreme Court cas\u00ades. Accord\u00ading to the Supreme Court His\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal Soci\u00adety, the court usu\u00adal\u00adly sees one to five of these each term. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appel\u00adlate juris\u00addic\u00adtion is how most cas\u00ades get to the Supreme Court. After exhaust\u00ading appeals in state courts or low\u00ader fed\u00ader\u00adal courts, the los\u00ading par\u00adty can seek a writ of cer\u00adtio\u00adrari, ask\u00ading the Supreme Court to review the case. The Court decides which cas\u00ades to hear, select\u00ading only a small frac\u00adtion, approx\u00adi\u00admate\u00adly 100\u2013150 of the over 7,000 cas\u00ades it receives accord\u00ading to the U.S. Courts web\u00adsite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1803, the Supreme Court decid\u00aded a key case that expand\u00aded its pow\u00ader. In Mar\u00adbury v. Madi\u00adson<\/a>, the court ruled that an act of Con\u00adgress was uncon\u00adsti\u00adtion\u00adal for the first time, estab\u00adlish\u00ading the prin\u00adci\u00adple of judi\u00adcial review \u2014 the pow\u00ader to review laws, exec\u00adu\u00adtive orders and gov\u00adern\u00adment actions and declare them uncon\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal \u2013 which serves as a check on the pow\u00ader of the leg\u00adisla\u00adtive and exec\u00adu\u00adtive branch\u00ades.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington DC. The Supreme Court has the authority to review actions from the other branches of government and of states to determine if they are constitutional. <\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court-1024x768.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Supreme-court.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
The Supreme Court of the Unit\u00aded States in Wash\u00ading\u00adton DC. The Supreme Court has the author\u00adi\u00adty to review actions from the oth\u00ader branch\u00ades of gov\u00adern\u00adment and of states to deter\u00admine if they are con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal. Pho\u00adto cour\u00adtesy of Kurt Kaiser, Wiki\u00adme\u00addia Com\u00admons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In ear\u00adly 2025, Vice Pres\u00adi\u00addent J.D. Vance said on X<\/a>: \u201cJudges aren\u2019t allowed to con\u00adtrol the exec\u00adu\u00adtive\u2019s legit\u00adi\u00admate pow\u00ader.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Het\u00adtinger said that it\u2019s impor\u00adtant for the rule of law that the pub\u00adlic sees the judi\u00adcial branch as hav\u00ading legit\u00adi\u00adma\u00adcy as an insti\u00adtu\u00adtion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea of legit\u00adi\u00adma\u00adcy \u201cgoes to this kind of well of deep reser\u00advoir of good, reserve of good\u00adwill\u2026 so that even if you don\u2019t like a par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar rul\u00ading, or maybe even a par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar series of rul\u00adings, you still basi\u00adcal\u00adly buy into the legit\u00adi\u00adma\u00adcy of the insti\u00adtu\u00adtion,\u201d she said. Polit\u00adi\u00adcal rhetoric reject\u00ading the court\u2019s role in the process, like Vance\u2019s post, can be dam\u00adag\u00ading. \u201cI think that the pub\u00adlic is sen\u00adsi\u00adtive, and there are things that can hap\u00adpen polit\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly that can absolute\u00adly dam\u00adage the legit\u00adi\u00adma\u00adcy of the court, can dig into that well of or reser\u00advoir of good\u00adwill,\u201d Het\u00adtinger said.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Attor\u00adney Gen\u00ader\u00adal William Tong said that state\u00adments like Vance\u2019s can mis\u00adin\u00adform and con\u00adfuse the pub\u00adlic, lead\u00ading to more dis\u00adtrust in polit\u00adi\u00adcal sys\u00adtems.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong in a virtual interview with University of Connecticut journalism students on Oct. 14, 2025. As of Dec. 12, Tong has filed over 40 lawsuits against President Donald Trump's administration. Photo by Connor Sharp<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3-1024x682.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3-1024x682.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-CTCASES-AG-Tong-3.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Attor\u00adney Gen\u00ader\u00adal William Tong in a vir\u00adtu\u00adal inter\u00adview with Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut jour\u00adnal\u00adism stu\u00addents on Oct. 14, 2025. As of Dec. 12, Tong has filed over 40 law\u00adsuits against Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump\u2019s admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion. Pho\u00adto by Con\u00adnor Sharp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy just say\u00ading it, he puts it into the ether and then social media tur\u00adbo charges it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt morphs like a virus or mutates into some\u00adthing that starts to have more cred\u00adi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty on social media and before long, even peo\u00adple of good faith are like, \u2018wait a sec\u00adond, does\u00adn\u2019t that make sense that the pres\u00adi\u00addent was elect\u00aded to do a job and we should just let him do his job, right?\u2019\u201d   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Supreme Court can serve as a check and bal\u00adance on the oth\u00ader two branch\u00ades through judi\u00adcial review, this process can take years accord\u00ading to Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut ACLU Legal Direc\u00adtor Dan Bar\u00adrett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the gov\u00adern\u00adment does some\u00adthing wrong, it takes a very long time\u201d to get a rem\u00ade\u00addy, Bar\u00adrett said. \u201cIf this gov\u00adern\u00adment is increas\u00ading its vol\u00adume and scale of vio\u00adla\u00adtions, then there\u2019s going to be broad\u00ader and broad\u00ader chunks of Amer\u00adi\u00adca that have been wronged and are await\u00ading or will ulti\u00admate\u00adly be denied a rem\u00ade\u00addy.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014by Mikay\u00adla Bun\u00adnell, UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
EXECUTIVE POWER<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
NATIONAL GUARD<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
REDISTRICTING<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
DUE PROCESS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
IMPEACHMENT<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
ELECTIONS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
NO KINGS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
COURTS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
TARIFFS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Back to Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion Main Page<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fed\u00ader\u00adal courts have the author\u00adi\u00adty to hear cas\u00ades hav\u00ading to do with the Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion, fed\u00ader\u00adal laws and treaties. The courts also hear cas\u00ades where the U.S. is a par\u00adty. Two dif\u00adfer\u00adent arti\u00adcles in the Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion cre\u00adate fed\u00ader\u00adal judge\u00adships: Arti\u00adcle 1 and Arti\u00adcle 3.  Arti\u00adcle 3 estab\u00adlish\u00ades most judge\u00adships, Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut polit\u00adi\u00adcal sci\u00adence pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Vir\u00adginia Het\u00adtinger said, [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1086,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[118,109,117,108,112,122,119,113,121,120],"class_list":["post-354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-constitution","tag-appellate-courts","tag-article-1","tag-article-3","tag-constitution","tag-courts","tag-dan-barrett","tag-jurisdiction","tag-supreme-court","tag-virginia-hettinger","tag-william-tong"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":350,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/no-kings\/","url_meta":{"origin":354,"position":0},"title":"No Kings","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Scene from the No Kings protest in Hartford in October 2025. Photo by Karla Perez. According to Article 1, Section 9, the U.S. has no king and can never name a king. U.S. officials are barred from accepting gifts or titles from foreign states without congressional consent.\u00a0 Despite this, President\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":441,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/07\/executive-power-overview\/","url_meta":{"origin":354,"position":1},"title":"Trump\u2019s second term shifts the balance of power to the executive ","author":"Dan Stark","date":"January 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Dan Stark\u00a0UConn Journalism Unparalleled. Unprecedented. Unchecked.\u00a0\u00a0 These\u00a0are\u00a0some of the words that have been used by many to describe the actions of President Donald Trump during his second term in office.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has taken sweeping actions that have promoted a broad\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Executive Power"","block_context":{"text":"Executive Power","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/executive-power\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":336,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/constitutional-crisis-or-executive-prerogative\/","url_meta":{"origin":354,"position":2},"title":"Constitutional crisis or executive prerogative?","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"How Trump's actions on due process, courts, elections and executive power stack up against our nation's founding document The Constitution of the United States, \"The Signing\" by artist Howard Chandler Christy, circa 1900. Courtesy of Library of Congress By Mikayla BunnellUConn Journalism \"We the People of the United States, in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":372,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/tariffs\/","url_meta":{"origin":354,"position":3},"title":"Tariffs","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The parking lot of a Walmart grocery store. Consumer prices have been impacted by tariffs. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if President Trump's tariffs are constitutional. Photo by Connor Sharp. Article 1, Section 8\u00a0establishes that Congress can regulate commercial activity between the U.S. federal government and foreign nations, between\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":347,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/due-process\/","url_meta":{"origin":354,"position":4},"title":"Due Process","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Connecticut ACLU Legal Director Dan Barrett at the University of Connecticut on Sept. 25, 2025. Barrett said that due process is an integral part of democracy. Photo by Elijah Polance. By Mikayla BunnellUConn Journalism The Fifth and 14th Amendments establish the right that no one in the U.S. shall be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Barrett.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Barrett.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Barrett.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Barrett.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Barrett.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-Barrett.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":363,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/elections\/","url_meta":{"origin":354,"position":5},"title":"Elections","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\"I Voted\" sticker from California's 2020 election. As the most populous state, California has the most electoral college votes at 54. Photo courtesy of @californiasos_ on Instagram Article 2, Section 1 sets up the electoral college \u2014 the process that actually elects the president, not the popular vote. \u00a0 There\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-California_Digital_I_Voted_Sticker_2020.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-California_Digital_I_Voted_Sticker_2020.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-California_Digital_I_Voted_Sticker_2020.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-California_Digital_I_Voted_Sticker_2020.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-California_Digital_I_Voted_Sticker_2020.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-FIRST3-California_Digital_I_Voted_Sticker_2020.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/sgTa6m-courts","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1086"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=354"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1892,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions\/1892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}